BALTIMORE (WBFF) — A Baltimore man convicted of killing 38-year-old Pedie Edwards II and attempting to conceal the crime by transporting and disposing of the victim’s body across state lines has been sentenced to life in prison plus 38 years, the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday.
Pablo Agosto Acevedo was convicted in February of first-degree murder, use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence, felon in possession of a handgun, and tampering with evidence.
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The case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Rita Wisthoff-Ito.
This sentence reflects the unwavering commitment of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners to pursue justice, regardless of how far a defendant goes to conceal their crimes. This case required extraordinary coordination among multiple law enforcement agencies across state lines to piece together critical evidence after the defendant traveled to New York City and attempted to hide his actions by disposing of Mr. Edwards’ body in the Hackensack River in New Jersey,” said Baltimore City State’s Attorney Bates. “Despite those efforts, investigators and prosecutors remained relentless in their pursuit of the truth. I commend Special Prosecutor Rita Wisthoff-Ito and every law enforcement partner involved for their tireless work in ensuring that Pablo Acevedo is held fully accountable for this senseless and devastating act of violence. Ultimately, no amount of planning, distance, or attempts to destroy evidence will prevent us from securing justice for victims and their families.
According to prosecutors, Edwards was last seen alive with Acevedo in the early morning hours of Nov. 1, 2023.
Surveillance video recovered from the 600 block of North Decker Avenue captured the two men inside a vehicle, with Edwards driving and Acevedo seated in the front passenger seat.
Investigators said the footage shows Acevedo briefly exiting the vehicle before returning to the passenger side, retrieving an item, and then shooting Edwards while seated in the car.
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The video allegedly captured Acevedo moving Edwards’ body from the driver’s seat to the rear of the vehicle before driving away.
Although Baltimore City police initially found no evidence of a shooting after responding to a delayed report of gunfire in the area, investigators later uncovered critical evidence linking Acevedo to the crime.
The vehicle seen in the surveillance footage was later found burned in Dundalk on Nov. 2, 2023. Inside, investigators recovered Edwards’ credit card, Acevedo’s driver’s license, three .40-caliber shell casings, and what appeared to be blood evidence.
More than a month later, on Dec. 9, 2023, authorities recovered the decomposed body of an unidentified man from the Hackensack River near Secaucus, New Jersey.
Fingerprint analysis identified the victim as Edwards.
An autopsy conducted by the Essex County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Edwards died from gunshot wounds and ruled the death a homicide.
Investigators said three bullets recovered during the autopsy matched the number of shell casings found in the burned vehicle.
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The investigation revealed that after the killing, Acevedo traveled north toward New York City before flying from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Puerto Rico on Nov. 2, 2023.
Authorities tracked a stolen gray 2023 Nissan Ultima linked to Acevedo through license plate reader data collected by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
The vehicle was traced through the Lincoln Tunnel and JFK Expressway before being located abandoned in an airport parking garage. Investigators determined the vehicle had been stolen from Baltimore.
Court records also showed that Acevedo had a prior 2015 Baltimore City conviction for kidnapping, making it illegal for him to possess a regulated firearm under Maryland law.
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